Southeastern honors Elsie Burkhalter with Golden Ambassador AwardLongtime north shore educator Elsie Burkhalter of Slidell was honored by Southeastern Tuesday (March 29) with the University’s Golden Ambassador Award. The award is presented to individuals in recognition of “outstanding service, achievement and/or humanitarian efforts.” First awarded in 1996 to the late Louisiana Sen. John Hainkel, the Golden Ambassador Award has only been presented to eight other individuals. Southeastern President John Crain recognized Burkhalter upon her departure from the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors. He cited “years of selfless service on behalf of all students. Her decisions and her focus are always based on what’s best for the students.” Burkhalter served 18 years on the Board of Supervisors, two of those years as chair of the board. She was the first African American female to serve in that capacity. She is president of the St. Tammany Federation of Teachers and School Employees, a position she has held since the union received its charter in 1979. She has also served as vice president of the American Federation of Teachers, the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, and the Louisiana AFL-CIO.Crain also noted Burkhalter’s public service, having served on the Slidell City Council and as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention for the past six conventions. Burkhalter was also presented a pendant based on the design of Southeastern’s official ring. An alumna of Southeastern, having earned her master’s in education there, she is only the second person to receive the specially designed jewelry, the other being fellow alumna Robin Roberts of ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Last year Burkhalter was recognized by the College of Education and Human Development as its distinguished alumnus of the year. Fellow UL System Board member Andre Coudrain read a letter from Board Chairman Winfred Sibille commending Burkhalter for her exceptional and longstanding service to the Board, to the University of Louisiana System, and – before that – the Board of Trustees for State Colleges and Universities. In his letter, Sibille said: “It is your love of and dedication to students that truly defines your service to this Board. You reminded us that we should always consider what is best for Louisiana’s students in our work as Board members and we saw this in action through the personal attention you bestowed on the many student leaders who served.” Sibille also noted Burkhalter’s role in serving on seven search committees for presidents for University of Louisiana System institutions and for representing the system on the Louisiana Postsecondary Education Review Committee in 2009.

Chefs Evening a success

A full house of Southeastern family and friends enjoyed the tasty offerings of more than three dozen area restaurants, bars and grills, and wholesalers at Chefs Evening 2011 Sunday at the Pennington Student Activity Center. During the popular annual food festival and fund raiser, sponsored by the Southeastern Development Foundation, guests also enjoyed a silent auction featuring items in a variety of price ranges. Proceeds from Chefs Evening benefit academic programs.

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1) President John L. Crain toasts supporters for this year's Chefs Evening at a reception held prior to the main event. The President's Toast was made possible by a sponsorship from La Capitol Federal Credit Union.

U.S. Army War College Eisenhower Program returns to SoutheasternThe United States Army War College Eisenhower Series College Program will return to Southeastern Louisiana University for the second year in a row on Monday and Tuesday, April 4 and 5. A team of experts from the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps will hold a series of panel discussions on Afghanistan, China, nation building, and pre-emptive war. “We are delighted to have this program back on campus,” said Dr. William B. Robison, head of the Department of History and Political Science. “Last year’s visit was one of the highlights of the spring semester.” “All of the panels were extremely informative, the presenters were engaging and entertaining, and the sessions were very well attended,” Robison added. “We expect more of the same this year, and we encourage everyone to join us for this wonderful opportunity to learn more about American military policy. We are grateful to the representatives of the Eisenhower Program for coming and to Judge Jimmy Kuhn for arranging their appearance again this year.” On April 4 panels will address “China” (9:30-11 a.m., Pottle Auditorium), “Pre-Emptive War and Just War Doctrine” (1:30-3 p.m., Pottle Auditorium), and “Should the United States Engage in Nation Building?” (reception 5:30 p.m., panel 6:30-8 p.m., Alumni Center). The final discussion is April 5 on “Afghanistan” (9:30-11 a.m., Fayard Hall, room 109). All sessions are free and open to the public. All sessions are free and open to the public. Panelists include Captain William G. Davis (U.S. Navy), the Director of National Security Studies and the Eisenhower Program at the U.S. Army War College; Lieutenant Colonel Shane B. Conrad (U.S. Marine Corps); Lieutenant Colonel Shawn A. Harris (U.S. Army National Guard, Michigan); Lieutenant Colonel Carl M. Jones (U.S. Air Force); Commander William Richardson (U.S. Navy); and Lieutenant Colonel David Rodriguez (U.S. Air Force).

Employee Appreciation DayThe Alumni Association and Human Resources are partnering to bring you Employee Appreciation Day. Please bring your family and join us on Tuesday, April 5, for free hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream, inflatables and games for the kids, door prizes and more. The event will be held on the first floor of the parking garage from 4:45-6 p.m. prior to the South Alabama game. Special ticket prices for the baseball game will be available at the tailgate. We appreciate all of your hard work in these difficult times and hope you will join us to mix and mingle with colleagues to enjoy an afternoon of fun.

Tangi Heart Walk kickoff set April 15

Southeastern is proud to once again host a Tangi Heart Walk befitting one of the university’s official philanthropic partners, the American Heart Association. The walk around campus is set for Friday, April 15 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. President John L. Crain said, “I challenge each department to appoint a leader and recruit walkers to help our Southeastern teams raise money to fund research and educational programs for AHA. The Tangi Heart Walk is designed to both raise life-saving funds and to engage us all to encourage physical fitness.” School of Nursing Interim Dean Ann Carruth and Director of Recreational Sports and Wellness Dollie Hebert will co-chair the event. “But we can’t do it alone,” said Hebert. “We are counting on support from each and every department in order to reach our goal, and we look forward to seeing you all walking on April 15!” For more information or to register in advance of the kickoff event, contact Carruth at acarruth@selu.edu or Hebert at dollie@selu.edu. Cardiovascular diseases contribute to more than 1.4 million deaths annually, including more than 15,000 Louisiana residents. The American Heart Association donates over 3 million annually to research projects in the Greater New Orleans area. The American Heart Association is the oldest and largest national non-profit voluntary health organization in the world, dedicated to reducing disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke, our nation’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers.

Division of Administration and Finance Service AwardsThe Division of Administration and Finance held its Service Award Ceremony on March 17 in the Alumni Center. Vice President of Administration and Finance Stephen Smith recognized forty-two division employees who have been employed at the university from five to 40 years. Their combined service totals 620 years. A reception honoring these employees was held immediately following the awards presentation. Those division employees with 25 years and more of service were honored at the President’s Convocation last August, and their photos appeared in a previous issue of the By-Lion.

Southeastern Business Center to co-host Chamber’s ‘Ham’nd Eggs’The Southeast Louisiana Business Center at Southeastern and Business Networking International (BNI) will co-host the Hammond Chamber of Commerce’s Ham’nd Eggs breakfast meeting Wednesday, April 6. The meeting is free and open to the business community and Southeastern faculty and staff. It will begin at 7:30 a.m. in the Business Center located at 1514 Martens Drive in Hammond. For more information, contact the Chamber at 345-4457.

Holocaust exhibit at Sims Library opens April 7

“Lest We Forget: Reading and Writing the Holocaust,” an exhibition including artwork, posters, multimedia displays, student writing, and visuals, by Dr. Beth Calloway’s English 315 students, will be on display at the Sims Memorial Library from April 7 - 19. A special display will be set up for collecting new and used shoes in memory of Holocaust victims and survivors. The public is invited to donate a pair of shoes that will be sent to a church charity: “2011-Let’s Make a Difference!” This program strives to make a difference in the lives of orphans, street kids and those who are needy in Africa. Support and donations are appreciated. A public reception and reading of student work will be given on Wednesday, April 13 from 3:30 to 4:45 on the 3rd floor of the library. Refreshments will be served.

Columbia Theatre presents “The Jungle Book” April 14Southeastern’s Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts will present on April 14 “The Jungle Book,” the final “Pajamas and Play” presentation scheduled for its youngest fans this season. Kenneth Boulton, interim director of the Columbia Theatre, explained that “Pajamas and Play” is a fun series designed to make theater performances accessible and appealing to children. Kids are invited to wear their pajamas, robes and slippers to the 60-minute performance. “The Columbia Theatre is excited to present what promises to be a wonderful event for the entire family. All the characters and creatures from Kipling's beloved story will come to life on our stage, complete with brilliant music and imaginative choreography,” Boulton said. “We are also looking forward to once again partnering with the Louisiana Children’s Discovery Center, which will sponsor a pre-show craft activity from 5-6 p.m. in the Grand Lobby.” With a kid-friendly curtain time of 6:30 p.m., “The Jungle Book” is a musical adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s classic. Audience members will join Mowgli as he learns the “laws” of the jungle, with the help of friends like the black panther Bagheera and Baloo the lovable bear, and cheer as Mowgli faces his fear and foils his nemesis, the tiger Shere Khan. Tickets for “The Jungle Book” are $10 for children ages 10 and under and $18 for adults. Tickets and information are available at the Columbia Theatre box office, 543-4371, or at www.columbiatheatre.org. Box office hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Friday and one hour before performance times.

Southeastern to hold dance auditions for Fanfare concertSoutheastern’s dance program is holding auditions Thursday, April 14, for a Fanfare dance concert scheduled next October. Auditions will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Kinesiology and Health Studies Building, room 153. Due to building construction, the only available entrance is on the left side of the building. Dance professor Martie Fellom said the auditions are open to experienced dancers who are Southeastern students or juniors or seniors in high school. “For the audition, students should wear dance attire and be prepared to dance barefoot,” Fellom said. “The audition will begin at 6:30 p.m. and last approximately two hours.” Southeastern students can earn a one-hour credit for their rehearsal hours and performance in Dance 106 (freshmen and sophomores) or Dance 406 (juniors and seniors). Sponsored by the Department of Fine and Performing Arts, the Oct. 27 concert will be held in Vonnie Borden Theatre. For more information contact Fellom at mfellom@selu.edu or 549-2133.

Area high school students recognized in Lincoln Essay ContestThree area high school students were recognized by Southeastern’s Sims Memorial Library for essays they wrote in conjunction with the national exhibit “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War.” Topic of the essays was “What would Lincoln think of the world today?” The national traveling exhibit, made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, was on display in the library from February through March. Pictured are, from left, library Assistant Director Lynette Ralph; Marcela Zabala, Northshore High School in Slidell, second place; E’Keidra Lanhart, Belaire High School in Baton Rouge, first place; Kentrell Edwards, also of Belaire High School, third place; and Kathryn Munson, assistant access services librarian.

May 7 ‘Bunko for Basketball’ to support SoutheasternLady Lions Basketball scholarship

Tickets are now on sale for the fourth annual “Bunko for Basketball,” a scholarship fundraiser for the Southeastern Lady Lions basketball program. Sponsored by the Lady Lions’ mentoring and support group PRIDE (Positive Role Models Involved in the Development of Excellence), Bunko for Basketball will take place Saturday, May 7 at Southeastern’s Twelve Oaks. Tickets for the evening of fun and fundraising are $30 per person for the adults-only event, which will feature hor d’oeuvres, drinks and a silent auction. Doors at Twelve Oaks will open at 6:30 p.m., with the popular Bunko games beginning at 7 p.m. During Bunko for Basketball, PRIDE will also draw the winning ticket for a Cali Classic 50 scooter, provided by Big Easy Scooters and Cycles of New Orleans. Scooter raffle tickets are $5.Bunko for Basketball and scooter raffle tickets can be obtained from PRIDE members and at the Dugas Center for Southeastern Athletics ticket office, 800 Galloway Drive (985-549-LION or 1-866-LION-TIX). PRIDE members will also be selling tickets at various community locations and events throughout April. For information, contact PRIDE Chair Patsy Causey, 985-345-8133. “We have had so much fun watching Bunko evolve each year into a couples event, too. Men and women of our community have enjoyed some serious entertainment at Bunko for Basketball,” said Lady Lions Head Coach Lori Davis Jones. “The game is fun and simple, even if you’ve never played. Come meet our beautiful Lady Lions, bid on some really special silent auction items and have a wonderful time with your friends – all for a good cause.” All Bunko for Basketball and raffle proceeds will go to the PRIDE Scholarship fund. Since its creation in 2007, Bunko has raised more than $51,000 for the scholarship, which provides Lady Lions basketball players with financial support for post sports eligibility coursework.

Southeastern student receives awards at Kennedy Center FestivalSoutheastern Theatre’s production of “Candy Said,” an original play written by student Zach Boudreaux of Walker, was a finalist in the One Act Play category at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival hosted recently by Amarillo College and the city of Amarillo. The play, “Candy Said,” was a finalist at the regional festival, placing it into consideration for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. If selected, the play would be performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. in April. “The Kennedy Center sponsors a one act play award called the, ‘John Cauble Short Play Award,’” said Jim Winter, assistant professor in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts. “Several hundred students compete nationally for this award, and Zach was one of the 16 finalists to be nationally recognized.” Boudreaux was recognized last year at the competition for his original play “Parking Lot Babies” that earned him a fellowship to the Kennedy Center, where he studied under professional playwrites. “We are proud of him for reaching the final 16; it’s pretty impressive considering he was up against 400 other writers across the nation,” says Winter. “He is a great writer, and I really enjoyed working with him on this production and with ‘Parking Lot Babies.’”

Southeastern writing contest accepting competition submissions from area studentsArea student writers in grades 6-12 may now submit original works to the Southeastern Louisiana Writing Project (SLWP) at Southeastern Louisiana University for participation in the third annual “SLWP Writes!” competition. The competition is open to all schools in Livingston, Tangipahoa, St. Tammany, St. Helena, Washington and East St. John the Baptist parishes as well as surrounding areas where SLWP instructors teach. Teachers are encouraged to submit worthy samples of their students’ work, or students may submit directly to SLWP. Poems and prose should be submitted in both hard copy and electronic form by April 20. Students may submit up to three poems; the poems should be single or double-spaced, titled and may not exceed a 100-line maximum. Prose should be double-spaced and limited to 1,500 words. SLWP Writing Project teacher-consultants will judge submissions, and winners will be notified by June 1. Prizes include certificates, publication of the entry by SLWP and automatic entry into the Louisiana Writes Project statewide “LA Writes!” contest. Electronic submissions can be sent to slwpwrites@yahoo.com, and hard copies should be mailed to SLWP Writes Contest, c/o Richard Louth, SLU 10327, Hammond, La, 70402 along with a signed registration form, which available on the SLWP Web site: selu.edu/acad_research/programs/slwp/index.html.Southeastern’s SLWP is an affiliate of the National Writing Project and one of four project sites in the state. In an effort to promote teacher writing and learning, SLWP offers various programs to help writing teachers excel in the classroom. SLWP programs include summer institutes, in-service programs and the “New Orleans Writing Marathon.” For more information on “SLWP Writes!” or to print a contest registration form, visit www.selu.edu/acad_research/programs/slwp/ or contact Jessica Kastner, contest coordinator, at Jessica.Kastner@selu.edu.

Study evaluates health benefits of Wii FitStudent researchers at Southeastern have determined that playing certain video games is not only fun but could play an important role in keeping you healthy. Last year, students Jennifer Worley and Sharon Rogers set out to measure the metabolic responses of the body when playing Wii Fit, a popular “health wellness” game created by Nintendo. Robert Kraemer, professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Studies, supervised the project. “These games can be used as an effective mode of physical activity to improve health in adult women,” said the researchers, whose study was published in the March issue of ‘The Journal of Strength and Conditioning.’ “However, players should strive to participate at higher game levels to gain exercise benefits.” Their work is considered to be among the first to evaluate whether video games that incorporate physical activity can actually provide sufficient exercise to improve a person’s health. Worley is currently working on a master’s degree in exercise physiology at East Carolina University, while Rogers will be entering a doctor of physical therapy program at LSU Health Sciences Center. Kraemer said the researchers brought in eight untrained adult women for a fitness assessment and then put the participants through a series of sessions on Hula, the hula-hoop simulation game, and Step, an aerobic step exercise. The students assessed oxygen consumption and energy expenditure along with other metabolic responses as the participants progressed through more intense levels of the game. “We decided to look at what kinds of metabolic responses people would experience by playing Wii Fit,” says Kraemer. “Oxygen consumption, which represents cardiorespiratory fitness levels, was a key factor because it deals with the heart, muscles and use of oxygen in muscles.” Initially neither game produced the effects that researchers predicted, but as the difficulty increased, the results showed definite improvement. Both games gave the same results at the intermediate level as walking at a speed of 3.5 miles per hour. In the end, the Hula game produced the strongest results. “This could be attributed to the fact that Hula involves more total body movement exercise than Step and uses more muscle groups,” said Worley. “Moreover, more advanced game levels significantly increased the results.” The researchers concluded that the study showed that this form of video gaming could be used as an effective mode of physical activity to improve health in the population. “Using the Wii Fit puts the right kind of stress on your body, helps burn calories, and puts stress on the muscles,” said Kraemer. “And sometimes, when weather doesn’t permit you to go outside, this provides a nice mode of exercise.”

Undergraduate Research Day

Southeastern had several participants involved in the University of Louisiana System undergraduate research day held recently at Northwestern State University. Pictured from left are Amber Bordelon, chemistry major, Erin Watson, associate professor of biology; biology major Lindsey Lizak; and communication major Charly Genco. Not shown are students Danielle Fabre, Reece McCance and Casey Mizell.

National Library Week at Sims Memorial LibraryApril 10-15 is National Library Week. Please look over the following schedule of events and be sure to stop by the Library. This year’s National Library Week theme is “Create Your Own Story @ Your Library.”

April 10-15Fine Free Week Return overdue books during Fine Free Week and have your late fees forgiven on the spot.Origami TableTry your hand at mastering the art of folding paper into beautiful objects. Paper and instructions provided.

April 11NLW reception Stop by for cake at noon.

Baton Rouge Nursing Library The Nursing Library will celebrate with a reception and cake from 9 a.m. to noon.

April 12Readings at Sims Library Come hear selections from original works by Southeastern’s own and other local authors. Readings begin at 7 p.m., and light refreshments will be served.

April 13-14Book Sale Support Sims Library and get some great books at unbeatable prices from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Only cash is accepted for the sale.

April 13Book DashJoin us as we cheer on the winner of our “Create Your Own Story” video contest as she/he sprints through the book sale for 30 seconds of free book mayhem at 9 a.m.

Phi Kappa Phi Spring Induction Ceremony and Banquet April 14The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Spring will hold an induction and banquet on Thursday, April 14 to honor Fall 2010 and Spring 2011 initiates, as well as other outstanding students from each college. The induction ceremony will take place at the Student Union Theatre at 5:30 p.m., followed by a banquet at Twelve Oaks. Banquet tickets are $17 and must be purchased by April 11. Please mail checks to Joan Faust, Box 10861 SLU, Hammond, LA 70402.

NSSLHA holding garage sale April 16The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association, a non-profit student organization, is holding a garage sale April 16 from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 17588 Alack Dr. in Hammond. Proceeds from the sale will help the students in the Communications Sciences and Disorders program at Southeastern attend the annual convention in San Diego in November.

Extended Studies newsAll locationsLife and Health Insurance Pre-licensing (Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. beginning April 8)This 40-hour class is presented by the Louisiana Consortium of Insurance and Financial Services and is designed to prepare students for the state exam and to provide a good education for a career in insurance. The cost is $230 including materials.

MandevilleCash Management Basics (April 7, 5 to 8 p.m.)This course teaches the basics of personal financial success and introduces students to the basics of money management, budgeting, using credit wisely and good debt versus bad debt. The cost is $35 with handouts provided.

Zoom into Careers (June 20 to 23)Career workshops in Hammond for high school students, which include an overnight option, are journalism, television, culinary arts, theatre and inventing. A photography workshop is available in Mandeville.

The Southeastern baseball, softball, golf, tennis and track teams will all be in action during this week in Southeastern Athletics. The Lion baseball team (19-10, 7-5 Southland) will close out a five-game home stand on Tuesday, hosting South Alabama at 6 p.m. at Alumni Field. Southeastern will then return to Southland Conference play over the weekend, visiting UT Arlington for a three-game series which starts Friday at 6:30 p.m. The series continues with a 2 p.m. matchup on Saturday and concludes Sunday with the 1 p.m. finale. All of the week’s games will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the Internet at www.LionSports.net. The Southeastern softball team (14-18, 4-8 Southland) has three home games on the schedule this week. The Lady Lions were originally scheduled to host Southern on Wednesday at 6 p.m., but due to scheduling conflicts that game has been cancelled. UTSA visits for the weekend for a three-game series which opens with a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and concludes with a 12 p.m. contest on Sunday. The Lion men’s golf team will return to the course this week. On Monday and Tuesday, the Lions will be in Madison, Miss. to compete in the BancorpSouth Intercollegiate. The Southeastern women’s tennis team (7-9, 2-5 Southland) has three matches on the schedule this week. On Monday, Southeastern will face Jackson State at 1 p.m. in Jackson, Miss. Over the weekend, the Lady Lions will host Southland foes Lamar (Saturday, 1 p.m.) and McNeese State (Sunday, 12 p.m.) Both of the weekend matches will be held at the Pelican Athletic Club in Mandeville. After a strong performance at last week’s Jim Mize Invitational, the Southeastern men’s and women’s track and field teams will head to Austin, Texas to compete in the prestigious Texas Relays. The meet runs Wednesday through Saturday.

Dr. Francesco Fiumara (Languages and Communication) was among the participants of the 2011 Convention of the Renaissance Society of America in Montreal, Canada, where he presented his paper: “Translating Success: Mambrino Roseo da Fabriano and the crafting of Spanish bestsellers for Italian audiences.”Dennis Sipiorski (Fine and Performing Arts) has been selected to exhibit in the ninth annual Grand Isle National Art exhibition. He will be exhibiting two new works in this year’s exhibition. The painting is titled “Falling from the Sky.” He has also had a large ceramic jar selected titled “Coast Line.” The exhibition will open April 9. The theme for the exhibition relates to the endangered coast.Dr. Becky Sue Parton and Dr. Robert Hancock (Educational Leadership and Technology) presented “Lambert’s Colorful World: the Use of RFID Embedded Storybooks with Deaf Students to Improve Emergent and Early Literacy” for the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) in Nashville, TN on March 7-11. (eyeBooks on the ipad for deaf students)Amy Baptist and Elizabeth West (both of Sims Memorial Library) published an annotated bibliography in Codex: The Journal of the Louisiana Chapter of the ACRL. Sims librarians who conducted presentations at the recent Louisiana Library Association Conference held in Lafayette on March 18 include: Penny Hecker and Herb McGuin “Cinema on a Shoestring: Creating a Library Video;” Dayne Sherman “How to Sell Your Memories, Maximize Your Mentors, and Connect with Your Members: The ‘Hook and Crook’ Method of Publication;” and Lori Smith “Popular Periodicals from the U.S. and State Governments.”Dr. Kathleen Campbell (Educational Leadership and Technology) presented “Measuring Professional Dispositions for Effective School Leadership” to the Louisiana Education Research Association in Lafayette in March. The paper was co-authored by Dr. Mindy Crain-Dorough (Educational Leadership and Technology).

ByLion is published weekly online (bi-weekly during the summer session) for the faculty and staff of Southeastern Louisiana University. Send submissions to publicinfo@selu.edu, SLU 10880, fax 985-549-2061, or bring to Public Information Office in East Stadium. Submission deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.